KATHMANDU, Jan 26: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday felicitated a 10-member Nepali mountaineering team which made history in the third week of January by becoming the first to scale the world’s second-highest mountain – Pakistan’s K2 – in the winter season.

Amid a ceremony held at the Prime Minister's official residence in Baluwatar, the prime minister honored the Nepali mountaineering team led by Nirmal Purja. Addressing the event, Oli said jokingly that he would be happy to scale Pakistan’s K2 along with the team although mountaineering is a risky job.  

"Mountaineering is a risky job, indeed. It's difficult, too. Had it been an easy task, I too, could have been a part of it. That would be more cheerful. But, I am pretty sure, I would not have returned alive had I been there," Oli said in a lighter vein.

The prime minister said that the government would have provided support (financial) if the team had informed it in advance about their plan to scale Mt K2. Congratulating the team for their feat, Oli said that the government urged mountaineers to take precautions while scaling peaks.

On the occasion, team leader Purja said that they did not get proper support from the government.

The ceremony was attended by Minister for Tourism, Bhanu Bhakta Dhakal and senior government officials. 

 
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